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Fans of the film In the Loop and the TV series Veep will definitely not want to miss this raucously hilarious political satire from the same creator, Armando Iannucci. This time he has gone back in history to 1953, giving his snappy dialogue to the Russians jostling for control after the Soviet leader's sudden demise. The setting makes it a lot darker than Iannucci's previous work, but it's packed with unforgettable one-liners, visual gags and pointed observations on politics today.

In the wake of Stalin's death, his successors aren't sure whether they should continue with his campaign of terror against Russian citizens. Dopey deputy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor) wants to maintain the status quo, while more progressive Krushchev (Steve Buscemi) is looking for change. Their main rival is Beria (Simon Russell Beale), a thug who likes young girls. Then the enthusiastic General Zhukov (Jason Isaacs) charges in, deciding that they need to push Beria out and go in another direction. Meanwhile, Stalin's spoiled children (Rupert Friend and Andrea Riseborough) are determined that they should have a say in any new government, but everyone else knows that their days are numbered.

David Schneider - David Schneider, London, England - at BBC Radio 3 does 'something funny for money' and raises money for Comic Relief. Tune-in March 18 held at The Royal Albert Hall. Monday 14th March 2011

Henry's never meant to be horrid, but that's just what all the adults (and some children) consider him. If there are worms in someone's sandwich or if there's itching powder in your bed, you can bet Henry's the one who's done it.

Astutely combining sharp comedy with complex political and theological issues, this film is packed with strong themes and vivid characters that keep us interested even as the plot drifts into silly slapstick.

London cabbie Mahmud (Djalili) is a loving family man and a relaxed Muslim whose son Rashid (Shah) wants to marry the step-daughter (Radford) of a radical Imam (Naor). But just as Mahmud is trying to behave like a better Muslim, he discovers that his birth parents were Jewish. Suddenly, his whole world shifts on its axis, and he turns to rival Jewish cabbie Lenny (Schiff) for advice. He's also understandably terrified to tell his family the truth, although his wife (Panjabi) suspects that something's up.

While Baddiel's smart, funny script probes the comical possibilities, Appignanesi's direction continually looks for sight gags and rude jokes. The result is a little uneven: even though these two elements come together often, the wacky physical humour sometimes undermines the more provocative themes. On the other hand, this approach keeps us nicely off-balance, never quite sure where the story might go while allowing the cast to make the most of their characters.

Most enjoyable, and telling, is the way this news causes Mahmud to see the world through different eyes. Not only is this amusing, but it also challenges our own perspective on the world around us. Djalili plays this cleverly; we can understand why Mahmud finds it impossible to continue hating Jews. Watching him try to become a better Muslim even as he's studying Judaism is pretty intense, although it's basically played for laughs. When Lenny welcomes Mahmud to "the worldwide conspiracy", it's a joke. Right?

These elements make the film much more meaningful than most comedies, and add offbeat details to the characters and situations. So it's a bit frustrating when the plot takes over in the final act, weaving in a side-story from early on that we knew would come back later, then heading for a big showdown that feels like it was grafted on from Hollywood script-writing software. This milks the emotions more than was necessary, but even here the corny slapstick is intermingled with theology, giving the whole film a potent kick.

Matt LeBlanc -- now here's a guy that picks winners to star in. He played second fiddle to a baseball-playing monkey in Ed. The same monkey could have owned his role in the pitiful Lost in Space. He even ironically played a B-movie actor in Charlie's Angels. And with his new turn in All The Queen's Men, LeBlanc finally embraces the monkey persona fully, complete with pantyhose, bad makeup, and ever so pouty red lips.

In his latest attempt to shake his identity as the dim-witted Joey from the TV show Friends, LeBlanc stretches his acting chops as a bad-ass solider boy sent to outwit the Germans during WWII, in order steal their spy secrets. It's a WWII comedy/drama/action yarn with an identity crisis that rivals that of Jame Gumb from The Silence of the Lambs.